How a waitlist app increased attendee throughput at SXSW 2022
SXSW 2022 was back in person this year and NextMe was selected to power all 30 immersive projects inside the XR Experience. The annual gathering celebrating the convergence of film, interactive media, and music, can be considered the most anticipated technology event each year. It offers a truly one-of-a-kind experience and 2022 was no exception.
This year, SXSW had several exciting exhibitions but the busiest exhibition, with the longest waits, was the XR Experience. XR (Extended Reality) is the umbrella term for AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual reality), and MR (mixed reality) - any technology that enhances or replaces our view of the world. An emerging media, XR has come a long way in the last few years.
The XR Experience showcased a large collection of immersive projects by some of the most talented leaders in this new field. According to IndieWire, “SXSW’s lineup provided a particularly eclectic range of masterful work that proved the future of the art form has arrived”. Needless to say, attendees were excited to get in the door and lines were expected to build up almost immediately. To increase throughput of excited attendees, 30 immersive XR experiences used NextMe’s waitlist app to manage the week-long event.
The virtual waiting flow
Step 1: Attendants input the phone number and name of guests into NextMe’s waitlist app upon arrival. Guests receive a simple SMS text confirmation.
Step 2: Attendants are able to manage the waitlist across multiple devices. Guests are able to enjoy the event while they wait virtually for their turn.
Step 3: When a space opens up, attendants can easily notify the next guest with an SMS notification. Guests receive further instructions for how to proceed in a timely manner.
SXSW waitlist app testimonials & descriptions
Choctaw Code Talkers 1918
Dressed in hyper-realistic WW1 garb, the attendants at the Choctaw Code Talkers 1918 stand next to a large wool tent with the VR experience inside. This project focuses on the first cryptological use of Native American languages as a U.S. military strategy. The experience immerses viewers in the presence of Choctaw soldiers fighting in France, presented in XR 360º. Soldiers from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma communicate tactical messages in their native language across battlefield phone lines, helping to turn the tides of war.
Persuasion Machines
If you would like to see into the hidden world of your data, this experience is for you. Persuasion Machines provides an eye-opening visual experience into how smart devices harvest our personal data and then use it to control and “persuade” us. With surprise collaborator will.i.am., the viewer is put into a virtual smart living room and learns of how major corporations are actively profiting from everything we do online. From the filmmakers of the award winning Netflix documentary, The Great Hack (2019).
We loved partnering with SXSW this year and are thrilled we could allow more viewers to experience these amazing projects by increasing efficiency for SXSW staff. By enhancing and modernizing the waiting experience, attendees were free to make the most of a compelling activation.
